Sammy Sosa hits 600th home run

Texas Rangers slugger Sammy Sosa joined an exclusive club by slamming career home run No. 600 in Wednesday's 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Sosa became the fifth major leaguer to hit 600 homers, reaching the plateau with a solo shot to right-centre field off losing pitcher Jason Marquis in the fifth inning.

"Getting my 600th against the Chicago Cubs, and my first team [being] the Texas Rangers, it's liked everything clicked," Sosa said. "My emotions, I don't know what they are."

Sosa connected on a 1-2 pitch from Marquis and bounded out of the batter's box, thrusting his right fist skyward to celebrate a feat accomplished by Henry Aaron (755), Barry Bonds (748), the late Babe Ruth (714), and Willie Mays (660).

Fittingly, he cranked 545 of his 600 homers for the Cubs from 1992-2004.

"Sammy has had a great career," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "It's maybe apropos that, here, the Cubbies are in town … he was an icon in Chicago for a long time.

"It was a good moment. He should be proud of it.

"I wish he would have done it in a losing effort. But it's a tremendous feat and he should enjoy the moment."

Sosa, 38, is thriving in his second stint at Texas, where he broke into the major leagues in 1989.

When Sosa went unsigned last season, his stock plunged so low that the Rangers auditioned him twice before inking him Jan. 30 to a minor-league contract worth $500,000 US with $2.2 million US in performance incentives.

But he has performed brilliantly this season, clubbing 12 home runs and driving in 53 runs in 62 games.

"I'm showing the whole world I still have a few years left in the tank," Sosa said. "I'm hungry every day.

"I'm here because I want to compete. Everything depends on how I feel a few more years.

"I feel great. Nothing can stop me right now."

When Sosa last played in 2005 for the Baltimore Orioles, he had only 14 HRs and 45 RBIs in 102 games during an injury-plagued campaign.

"A lot of people were skeptical about him [Sosa] for many reasons," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "But he showed us he was serious about coming back."

66 in '98

Sosa, a seven-time all-star, has belted 60-plus homers three times during his career, including a career-high 66 for the Cubs in 1998.

Sosa was named the National League's most valuable player that season, but finished second in homers to Mark McGwire, who hit 70.

The combined assault on the record of 61, held by the late Roger Maris since 1961, led to unproven allegations of steroid use by both sluggers.

Sosa is a career .274 hitter with 600 HRs, 1,628 RBIs, 1,449 runs and 234 stolen bases in 2,302 games over 18 MLB seasons for the Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Cubs and Orioles.